In this public service announcement, Regional Coordinator for School on Wheels in Ventura County, Yadira Melgoza, outlines the organizations activities.
School on Wheels is a non-profit organization providing one-on-one tutoring and school supplies to homeless children K-12th Grade. We have been working with homeless children since 1993 and have a large group of dedicated volunteer tutors who meet their students every week to help them succeed in school. Unfortunately the number of homeless children is increasing and so too is our need for volunteer tutors who can dedicate an hour a week to mentor a homeless student.
School on Wheels was founded in 1993 by Agnes Stevens, a retired teacher. After reading Jonathan Kozol’s Rachel and her Children, Agnes realized the extent of homelessness in the USA. She began tutoring homeless kids in a park in Santa Monica, encouraging them to stay in school and participate in school activities.
The mission of School on Wheels is to enhance educational opportunities for homeless children from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Our goal is to shrink the gaps in their education and provide them with the highest level of education possible. Our program serves as a consistent support system to homeless students at a time of great stress and fear. We bring the message to our students that they are cared about and important.
Today, hundreds of volunteers work one-on-one with children whose homelessness prevents them from getting the academic stability and help they desperately need. The heart of School on Wheels’ programs is the volunteer tutors who come from all backgrounds and professions, with a shared goal — to reach out to a child, to teach, to mentor, and assist in their educational life.
Website: SchoolOnWheels.org
Producer: GeorgeAlger.com
Director: Petrina Sharp
Sponsor: NONPROFIT FIRE, Fundraising for Nonprofits
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Sponsor: PJ MURALS, We Paint Your World Beautiful
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Sponsor: SKYWORKS MARKETING, Performance Advertising
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